February 2016

Will Mahinda form a Govt in April? Recently Mahinda Rajapaksa had called an astrologer to Abhayaramaya Temple and inquired about the horoscope of Maithripala Sirisena. Mahinda is of the view that a bright time would dawn on him by April 2016 to form a government. He has related his future dream to all his friends and members in the joint Opposition. So, all of them are eagerly waiting till Mahinda forms a government in April. Maithri had got wind of Mahinda’s dream about the future. In response Maithri told in public that Mahinda’s camp was planning to form governments by reading his horoscope to be sure about his death. The UNP which was defeated in 1994 waited for ten years dreaming of Chandrika Kumaratunga’s death […]

Are Maithri and Ranil in fear of military coup? It was reported that the Commanding Officer in Jaffna, Major General Chagi Gallage, was transferred to Army Headquarters in Colombo last week, following a heated argument with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. The Major General was transferred to Colombo following the Foreign Minister’s refusal to include two military officers in the committee proposed by the Human Rights Commission in Geneva. The minister’s refusal led to a heated argument between the duo, reports stated. Gallage is an officer who earlier served in the Security Division of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Having won the 2010 presidential election, Mahinda arrested then Gen. Sarath Fonseka and elevated Gallage within the Army. Gallage who headed the Presidential Security Division was also appointed […]

By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent Investigation report files on the controversial coup attempt launched within the Temple Trees premises on the morning of 9 January 2015 are now held up at Attorney General’s department, the Ministry of Law and Order informed Parliament yesterday. In the absence of the Attorney General’s advice the Government is unable to proceed further, according to the Ministry. “The extracts relating to the investigations have been referred to the Attorney General seeking legal advice under reference number CR1/08/2015 on 16 January 2016. No opinion can be made as the relevant advice from Attorney General has not so far been received,” reported the Ministry in response to a question for Oral Answer raised by opposition lawmaker Dullas Alahapperuma. “Further action […]

Sixteen Sri Lankans deported from Australia were arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) by the Crime Investigation Division (CID) in Katunayake when they were returning, Police Media Unit said. “All of them were males,” Police Media Unit sources added. According to the CID they had allegedly gone to Australia by boat in 2012. The suspects are residents of Valachchenai, Udappuwa, Batticaloa, Chillaw, Wennappuwa, Kalawanchikudi, Adimuneyi, Arachchikattuwa and Negambo. They are to be produced before the Negambo Magistrate and the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) in Katunayake are carrying out further investigations.

Torture and ill-treatment of detainees, including sexual violence, continued in 2015 found Amnesty in international Noting that Tamils continued to be detained, the Sri Lanka section of Amnesty International’s report, added that “suspicious deaths in police custody continued to be reported.” The report further noted that sexual violence may have been used against Tamils, adding that ‘impunity for alleged crimes under international law’ and other rights violations ‘persisted’. See full report here.

It has been a confusing couple of weeks for those following Sri Lanka’s delicate progress back towards peace. Sri Lanka’s President gave two perplexing interviews in which he made troubling and factually inaccurate statements about how Sri Lanka is intending to deal with the past. His Prime Minister also made public comments, firstly seeming to contradict him, then seeming to support him. In the midst of all this, a visit from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights came and went with surprising smoothness. Now that the dust has settled somewhat, we attempt to pick through what was said and make sense of it all. What emerges is very worrying for Sri Lanka’s future, but not yet unsalvageable. What was said

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today ordered the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to arrest those responsible for the death of Sri Lankan rugger player Wasim Thajudeen, since it appears to be murder. After announcing the results of the postmortem examination hhent he case was taken up, the Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris instructed the CID to arrest the suspects and produce them before the court. The additional magistrate stated that Thajudeen’s cause of death has been observed as injuries sustained in the chest area and that a motor vehicle accident cannot be considered as the reason for the death. He also said that Thajudeen’s death appears to be murder according to information uncovered and ordered that a report be submitted on March 23 with regard to […]

Thiruwana stone (not gem) given as guarantee and loans taken by Rajapakses and henchmen – daylight robbery at Lanka Putra bank ! (video) (Lanka-e-News- 23.Feb.2016, 9.00PM) How the state bank- Lankaputra bank was allowed to be robbed without let or hindrance during the Mahinda Rajapakse corrupt brutal reign by his henchmen and lickspittles was revealed at a recent media briefing by minister Ranjan Ramanayake while having the chairman of Lanka putra bank as witness via the phone. It was disclosed that during the corrupt and criminal reign , Rs. 5 billion was released as loans to political henchmen , and out of that sum , Rs. 2 billion could not be recovered. That is the borrowers have defaulted payment with impunity . It is impossible […]

A report on the state of human rights around the world has urged Sri Lanka to translate its promises of accountability into action. Amnesty International noted that the UN Human Rights Council resolution in September on an investigation into atrocities committed during the conflict offers a ray of hope to victims and family members, but precious little has happened since. “There have been some marked improvements on human rights in Sri Lanka during the year, notably on freedom of expression. People are not as afraid to speak out anymore as reports of the dreaded ‘white van’ kidnappings have dried up. The UN Human Rights Council resolution in September on an investigation into atrocities committed during the conflict offers a ray of hope to victims and […]

EROS to work with TNA By S.Gurunathan Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students (EROS), a former Tamil militant organization has decided to work closely with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in the future Tamil political activities. EROS said in a proclamation released last Sunday (21) at an event held at Batticaloa Focus Hall presided by EROS Chairman Arular Arulpragasam. Activists of EROS in the North and East and upcountry met at Batticaloa last Sunday held discussion with a view to reorganize the party. It was decided at the meeting to work for the liberation of Tamils. Later a proclamation was prepared and released in this regard. Rajanathan Pirapaharan, General Secretary of the EROS said at the meeting that the reorganization of the EROS has been made […]

A hartal was staged in Vavuniya today in protest over the rape and murder of a teenager last week. An autopsy conducted on the teen found dead in a house in Vavuniya revealed that she was raped and murdered. The 14 year old girl was found hanging from the neck with the help of a saree inside the house last week. Investigations into the death had been launched and a post-mortem examination was conducted on the body of the victim. The post-mortem examination found that the teen had been sexually abused and murdered. The police have launched investigations to identify the culprits. (Colombo Gazette)

Voice clip uncovers evidence of conspiracy The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday told the Homagama Magistrate’s Court that the first voice clip with regard to the abduction of journalist Pradeep Ekneligoda has uncovered evidence that the suspects attached to the Giritale Army camp had conspired to abduct and kill Ekneligoda. The court was informed that the first consipiracy to abduct and kill Ekneligoda has taken place on August 27, 2009 and the second suspect of the case has participated in this conspiracy. The CID official told that the conspiracy to abduct and kill Ekneligoda took place at the Second suspect’s place and voice record with regard to this conspiracy has been forwarded to courts. The court was also informed that investigations into a witness who […]

US chocolate maker Mars has ordered a recall of millions of chocolate bars and other products from 55 countries including Sri Lanka, foreign media reports stated. The recall was ordered after bits of plastic were found in a Snickers bar in Germany. Most of the countries undergoing recalls were European but also extended as far as Vietnam and Sri Lanka in Asia, ABC Australia reported. All of the recalled products, which include Mars, Snickers and Milky Way bars, were manufactured at a Dutch factory in Veghel, according to a Mars spokeswoman. A statement posted earlier on the website of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority said Mars was recalling Snickers, Mars, Milky Way, Celebrations and Mini Mix boxes after the piece of plastic […]

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and the US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power had talks on issues related to Sri Lanka. During the talks the top US official and Samaraweera had also discussed the possibility of expanding Sri Lanka’s role in UN peacekeeping operations. Samaraweera, who is in the US, also met other foreign diplomats based in New York and briefed them on the latest developments in Sri Lanka. Samaraweera will tomorrow attend a discussion at the US Institute of Peace, co-sponsored by the Heritage Foundation, on how the initiatives to advance reconciliation, post-conflict development and stronger democratic institutions are progressing. The Foreign Minister will offer an update on the progress towards sustainable peace in Sri Lanka, including plans for economic development. The remarks will […]

Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, son of the former president responded to the many allegations thrown against the Rajapaksa regime. Q It’s a very bad time for you, isn’t it? It is the nature of politics. Politicians do not have power for ever; it comes intermittently. When Mahinda Rajapaksa was in power there was not a trace of revenge on political opponents. But today even the children of opposition members are subjected to revenge. This happened whenever the UNP came into power. They even deprived Madam Sirimavo of her civic rights. But what is surprising is its continuance even under a consensus government. Q When you were in power did you imagine the situation you are facing today? We have to come to […]

Formation of a new political party to centralise all ‘Mahinda Supporters’ who want former President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned to power has suffered a delay due to the postponement of Local Government elections, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday. Speaking at a media briefing he said the Joint Opposition would also establish a separate alliance comprising new political forces including the SLFP’s new party. However he said the formulation process of the new alliance has been delayed due to the postponement of Local Government elections. Majority of SLFP MPs who had financially gained under Mahinda regime want to choose Mahinda as their leader again to avoid being investigated by the new Maithiri/Ranil Government and be punished by the law of the country. Some of the […]

Arrest me if you can! BY SULOCHANA RAMIAH MOHAN Former Ambassador to Russia UDAYANGA WEERATUNGA appointed by his cousin, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, challenged the Government and demanded they meet him either in Ukraine or at the Russian Foreign office to ‘bring to a closure’ the allegations against him with regard to the arms deal he is alleged to have had with the pro Russian rebels in Ukraine several years back. “My financial assets have been frozen by the Government, and I am recommencing my tea business in tough times. I did not kill Noel nor did I supply arms to the rebels. I am not a big shark in the Russia/Ukraine political circuit but if I am in great trouble I could still reach […]

NPC will prevent police service derailing By Niranjala Ariyawansha Gamini Navaratne, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (Administration and Election) has served as the key Election Operations Officer of the Police Department for 15 years. He joined the police service in 1982 as an Assistant Superintendent of Police. Navaratne who holds a science degree from Peradeniya University, served as an assistant lecturer for one year. He served another year as a science teacher of a government school. While in the police service, he read for an MSc in Computer Science and a Diploma in Criminology at Sri Jayewardenepura University. In appreciation of his service to the Police Department, he has been granted one year’s extension. In an interview with Ceylon Today senior DIG Gamini Navaratne […]

The Attorney General’s Department is examining 25 files relating to misappropriation of public funds by powerful politicians and top officials of the previous regime including former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera. The Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) has completed investigations into these 25 cases and has submitted relevant files to the AG’s Department for necessary action, sources from the AG’s Department said. The investigation into the misappropriation of a sum of Rs. 5.7 million at the Tourism Promotion Bureau has been completed with the alleged involvement of former Chairman Bashwara Gunaratne and former Director General of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority D.S. Jayaweera. Financial irregularities in the take-over of the Sri Lanka insurance Corporation to the government against Dr. […]

DIGs removed incriminating pages in CIB BY ANANDA WEERASURIYA Two former Deputy Inspectors General of Police have removed pages from books which included notes regarding investigations carried out into the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge. It is said that notes on a number of important sections of information revealed in connection with the persons who had been given the contract to murder Wickrematunge, which were contained in certain pages of the Crime Investigation Books (CIB), collected during investigations have been removed. Since these two top Police officials had got down the book and removed these pages, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) now, have had to carry out fresh investigations it is revealed.